Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Nov 28/05) - Morning classes at a Rankin Inlet school were cancelled because of mysterious fumes earlier this month.

No students were at Leo Ussak elementary school when the decision was made, said Rankin Inlet District Education Authority chairperson Darrin Nichol.

"I was contacted shortly after 7 a.m. by the school principal and we did our best to get on the radio and advise the community of the situation," said Nichol.

"The decision not to open the school was made by 7:30 a.m. We didn't know what these odours were related to, so we made the decision to err on the side of caution.

"Classes hadn't even begun for the day, so there were no children sent packing out into the cold."

Principal Harold Goobie said the vast majority of the community knew about the school's closure by 8 a.m.

He said 99 per cent of the student body never arrived at the school.

"We had officials from Community and Government Services come to the school, and we determined there was no problem inside the building," said Goobie.

"We're not sure where the fumes came from.

"There was an early flight that morning with the wind blowing from the airport to the school, and we also had snow removal going on.

"Somehow, fumes got sucked into the school and that matter is being looked into.